What Makes Hitler Evil?

[Sunstone]

What makes Hitler evil? If you don't like the term evil, then what makes Hitler bad? That is to ask, on what grounds do you determine that someone or their actions are evil or bad?

Do you judge them by the consequences of their actions? If so, how do you determine those consequences are evil or bad?

Do you judge them by some absolute standard of morality? If so, how do you know that absolute standard of morality? Is your notion that that standard is absolute based on reason or faith?

Given that Hitler did somethings which can be considered evil and somethings which can be considered good, what does it mean to say Hitler was evil or bad? Is that not a shallow judgement?

What is the use or purpose of calling someone evil or bad? What, if anything, does it serve to illuminate?

Is there a better way of looking at Hitler (and others) than to see them as either good or as evil or bad? Do we learn more about people (and how to prevent people from doing evil or bad things) when we pay more attention to what they did, and how they did it, than to the morality of what they did?

 

[yippityyak]

I like this thread! Very much so!

Just my opinion: I think what Hitler did was very bad. I border on Bad and Evil. His actions were not good!

But if I may, please Sunstone, ask a question as part of your thread?

Does anyone know that Hitler was in fact a Christian? And that he based his actions on Christianity? Amazing, isnt it!

:areyoucra

 

[FatMan]

In my opinion, Hitler was evil because he advocated and pushed the extermination of a people simply because of their beliefs. He purposely led a propoganda campaign to make a section of the population appear to be non-human.

I can overlook the actions he took during War - I cannot overlook crimes against humanity

 

[FatMan]

Does anyone know that Hitler was in fact a Christian? And that he based his actions on Christianity? Amazing, isnt it!

:areyoucra

That's simplifying it a bit. Hitler's actions weren't based in Christianity - his platform was genetics and promotion of the Master Race.

His motives were purely political and sociological, not religious.

 

[yippityyak]

Sorry, before anyone asks, here is a link to a site that offers evidence to my previous post.

www.nobeliefs.com/Hitler1.htm

 

[Ulver]

I would put it that Hitler fits the basic role of the tyranical idealistic leader. Consumed with power and a vision, with a disregard to certain consequences.

I would not call him evil. I would mearly say that he was a part of a destructive force. Part of the problem is that WWII and the holocaust get all lumped on to his shoulders. There were far more people who were at the poker table then just him. He was the ring-leader, but without everyone else who was a part of the game then it wouldn't of happened as it did.

 

[Sunstone]

One might add that Hitler misunderstood genetics and had no accurate idea of what the theory of evolution implied.

 

[yippityyak]

Ok, apologies, I may have worded that wrong. But they way that it was presented to me was that he believed that his actions were in acccordance to Gods plan.

I am not saying I am right, just that this is my opinion and that it is quite interesting!

 

[Ulver]

In my opinion, Hitler was evil because he advocated and pushed the extermination of a people simply because of their beliefs.

And Race.

A campaign to destroy the ideology of Communism and the Races/Groups deemed destructive to the State and General People. These destructive groups he claimed were Jews, Gypsies, Homosexuals and more. Though many exceptions were made near the end of the war. People considered to be lower races even joined the SS.

 

[PureX]

What makes Hitler evil? If you don't like the term evil, then what makes Hitler bad? That is to ask, on what grounds do you determine that someone or their actions are evil or bad?

Do you judge them by the consequences of their actions? If so, how do you determine those consequences are evil or bad?

Do you judge them by some absolute standard of morality? If so, how do you know that absolute standard of morality? Is your notion that that standard is absolute based on reason or faith?

Given that Hitler did somethings which can be considered evil and somethings which can be considered good, what does it mean to say Hitler was evil or bad? Is that not a shallow judgement?

What is the use or purpose of calling someone evil or bad? What, if anything, does it serve to illuminate?

Is there a better way of looking at Hitler (and others) than to see them as either good or as evil or bad? Do we learn more about people (and how to prevent people from doing evil or bad things) when we pay more attention to what they did, and how they did it, than to the morality of what they did?

Hitler wasn't evil, he was sick. What he did because he was sick, was evil.

I would define what he did as evil because his actions were deliberately harmful to others, for his own gain. And because he did this with extreme prejudice.

 

[darkpenguin]

Hitler was a evil genious!

 

[darkpenguin]

i think the soldiers that fought for hitler are more evil then he was, if they had an inch of backbone and didn't fight for him because they didn't agree with what he was doing (like many of them nowadays claim) then the war would have gone nowhere!

 

[Ulver]

i think the soldiers that fought for hitler are more evil then he was, if they had an inch of backbone and didn't fight for him because they didn't agree with what he was doing (like many of them nowadays claim) then the war would have gone nowhere!

True, but your underestimating the power of collective fear and the notion of peer pressure on a national level.

 

[darkpenguin]

true but it angers me as do the soldiers who are in iraq at the moment who complain about the war, again they need to grow backbones!

 

[Ulver]

One might add that Hitler misunderstood genetics and had no accurate idea of what the theory of evolution implied.

The Nazis quoted many great minds and twisted it to their own propagandic needs. It's something that unfortunately gets brought up all the time when you mention certain German Philosophers.

 

[darkpenguin]

i think one of the most horrifying things i read about hitler was his facination with siamese twins, he went as far to satisfy his sick facination by having people and children sewn together to see what would happen. disturbing, truly disturbing!

 

[Ulver]

true but it angers me as do the soldiers who are in iraq at the moment who complain about the war, again they need to grow backbones!

A soldier goes through much training to "be a part of the group". A soldiers life is not like that of many others. Group/Peer pressure becomes an even more influential force. To wish otherwise is to wish the military to not act like a military. It is within a soldiers nature and upbringing to be as they are. You can find similarities in actions from Nazi Armies, Soviet Armies, American, British, Chinese, Japanese & etc. All sorts. For example raping and pillaging are activities that come up often in almost all militaries.

 

[Ulver]

i think one of the most horrifying things i read about hitler was his facination with siamese twins, he went as far to satisfy his sick facination by having people and children sewn together to see what would happen. disturbing, truly disturbing!

Are you confusing him with Josef Mengele?

 

[PureX]

i think one of the most horrifying things i read about hitler was his fascination with siamese twins, he went as far to satisfy his sick fascination by having people and children sewn together to see what would happen. disturbing, truly disturbing!

When we see the lives of others as having no value in themselves, then those human beings become 'fodder' for whatever bizarre proclivities we choose. This is the sickness that infected so much of the German high command.

 

[KingNothing]

What is going on!!!!!!!!!!!!!????????? Why are people defending Hitler? Have you lost your minds? People are saying he was sick, not evil? It's like everyone is saying you have to be sick to kill 6 million people. What amount of killing can you do to be just evil? Perhaps if he had killed 5 million, or 2 million, or only one hundred thousand he could be considered evil and not sick??????